The Kremlin’s propaganda is increasingly erratic. Russian media recently saw President Vladimir Putin on the phone with an eight-year-old girl from the occupied Zaporizhia region. During the conversation, he asks the student to send him vegetables. “I know you grow cucumbers and tomatoes there,” explains the head of state. “Are you going to send cucumbers? Yes, I’m waiting for the New Year’s gifts,” Putin rejoices.
Kremlin-controlled media outlets released a video apparently intended to portray Putin as a grassroots, child-friendly benefactor. The background of the conversation with the eight-year-old girl is a Christmas promotion, which the schoolgirl would have won and her cherished wish would have come true. Eight-year-old Alexandra Titarenko had dreamed of visiting the official residence of “Ded Moros” (Father Frost, the Russian equivalent of Santa Claus). And that wish was apparently granted.
Girl enjoyed tea and cookies, Putin prefers pickles
During the phone call, Putin inquired about the visit to Veliky Ustyug in northwestern Russia – Father Frost has an “official” Christmas post office there. “What do you think of the Ded Moros? Is it great?”, the Kremlin boss is heard to ask in a pleasant conversational tone. According to Putin’s response, the answer of the interviewees, which cannot be heard, is positive. ” Have you had tea? pastry? Cookies. Were they tasty?” asks the ruler.
Then the conversation takes a bizarre turn. Putin greets Alexandra’s parents and has an extraordinary request. Knowing that cucumbers and tomatoes are grown nearby, they should send him some – he’s already looking forward to the New Year’s Eve gift.
Just a PR stunt by the Kremlin?
It is unclear whether Putin really talked to the girl and drew his participation card in the Christmas campaign “Wishing Tree”. It could also be a PR stunt by the Kremlin to feign interest in the people of the region it occupies in Ukraine. At the end of September, Moscow troops attacked a civilian car convoy with missiles near the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhia – dozens of people were killed. The victims of the attack lined up to “meet friends and relatives and get help,” Olexandr Staruch, the governor of Ukraine’s regional government, said after the incident.
Source: Krone
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